New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Fisnics Purdeep’

ABSTRACT

A new New Guinea  Impatiens  plant particularly distinguished by large, round, flat to slightly cup-shaped deep purple flowers, early flowering, deep green foliage with large leaves, and a medium size plant habit that is round and bushy, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull.

Variety denomination: ‘Fisnics Purdeep’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of NewGuinea Impatiens, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Fisnics Purdeep’. The newcultivar originated from a hybridization made in the year 2002 inHillscheid, Germany. The female parent was the proprietary New GuineaImpatiens plant ‘K02-1080-1’ (unpatented), while the male parent was theproprietary New Guinea Impatiens plant ‘K02-9604-2’ (unpatented). Theseeds produced by the hybridization were sown in Portugal in the lateFall of 2002. A single plant selection was chosen for further evaluationand for asexual propagation in April 2003 in Moncarapacho, near Faro,Portugal.

The new cultivar was created in 2002 in Hillscheid, Germany and has beenasexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings and tissueculture in Moncarapacho, Portugal and Hillscheid, Germany over atwo-year period. ‘Fisnics Purdeep’ has not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The present invention has been foundto retain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexualpropagations.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in Switzerlandon Mar. 30, 2005 and in Canada on Apr. 20, 2005.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new cultivar when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Hillscheid, Germany and Langley, BritishColumbia, Canada.

-   -   1. Uniform, deep purple flower color;    -   2. Large, round, flat to slightly cup-shaped flowers;    -   3. Deep green foliage with large leaves;    -   4. A medium size, round and bushy plant habit; and    -   5. An early flowering response.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new New Guinea Impatiens plant is illustrated by the accompanyingphotograph which shows overall plant habit including blooms, buds, andfoliage of the plant; the colors shown are as true as can be reasonablyobtained by conventional photographic procedures. The photograph is of awhole plant about 13- to 14-weeks old, grown in a greenhouse inHillscheid, Germany, in late Spring.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Fisnics Purdeep’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inHillscheid, Germany. The plant history was taken on 11- to 12-week oldplants which were planted as rooted cuttings in 12-cm pots in lateFebruary 2005, and then grown in a greenhouse at a minimum temperatureof 16° C. Color readings were taken under natural light in thegreenhouse. Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.) (2001).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW PLANT

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Balsaminaceae.        -   Botanical.—Impatiens hawkeri W. Bull.        -   Common name.—New Guinea Impatiens.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—‘K02-1080-1’ a proprietary red-purple            flowered New Guinea Impatiens plant (unpatented).        -   Male parent.—‘K02-9604-2’ a proprietary deep cherry-red            flowered New Guinea Impatiens plant (unpatented).-   Growth:    -   -   Growth and branching habit.—Medium size, round, bushy, and            well-branched; the growth is indeterminate, though weak            after the beginning of flowering.        -   Height.—14.0 cm.        -   Width.—23.0 cm.        -   Propagation.—Terminal tips for cuttings.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—9 weeks for a            12-cm pot.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—18 days at 22° C.-   Branches:    -   -   Average number.—6.        -   Length of branches.—9 cm to 11 cm.        -   Internode length.—2.5 cm to 3.5 cm.        -   Diameter of branches.—0.5 cm to 0.7 cm.        -   Stem color.—RHS 185A (dark purple).-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Primarily in whorls.        -   Size.—Length: 12.3 cm. Width: 4.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Margin.—Slightly serrate, ciliated.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Color (mature leaves).—Upper surface: Close to RHS 139A or            between RHS 137A and RHS 139A (medium-green). Lower surface:            RHS 138B (light-green).        -   Color (immature leaves).—Upper surface: Between RHS 137D and            RHS 143A. Lower surface: RHS 138B (light-green).        -   Texture.—Surface is lightly glossy, glabrous, smooth or            faintly rippled.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface: RHS 53D (pink). Lower            surface: RHS 60A.        -   Variegation.—None.        -   Petioles.—Length: 0.5 cm to 1.5 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm to            0.4 cm. Color: Upper surface: RHS 53A or RHS 53B. Lower            surface: RHS 60A. Texture: Glabrous.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Ovoid.        -   Size.—Length: 2.6 cm. Width: 1.5 cm.        -   Color.—More bluish than RHS N66A.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—9 weeks after planting of rooted cuttings.        -   Inflorescence type.—Flowers appear solitary in the leaf            axils of the upper nodes of the stems.        -   Number of flowers per node.—6 to 8, in various stages of            development.        -   Flowering season.—Mainly from March to October, depending on            light intensity.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms.—Up to 14 days (in a            greenhouse in the Spring at 18° C.).        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 185B (brownish-red). Size: Length:            5.0 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Texture: Glabrous, flexible.-   Flowers:    -   -   Form of corolla.—Single-type, 5 petals.        -   Shape of corolla.—Nearly round, with the petals overlapping,            almost flat to weakly cup-shaped.        -   Corolla size.—Length: 8.4 cm. Width: 7.7 cm. Depth: 1.0 cm            to 1.5 cm.-   Petals:    -   -   Shape.—Cordate, weakly lobed.        -   Apex.—Emarginate, banner petal most often without an            incision.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Petal size.—Top: Length: 4.1 cm. Width: 6.8 cm. Lateral:            Length: 4.2 cm. Width: 4.9 cm. Lower: Length: 4.2 cm. Width:            5.3 cm.        -   Color.—General color description: Intense purple, uniform.            Upper surface: RHS N66A or somewhat deeper, no markings.            Lower surface: Between RHS N66A and RHS N74A. Eye Zone: No            eye.        -   Petal texture.—Smooth, velvety.        -   Aspect.—Flat.-   Spur:    -   -   Shape.—Downwardly curved.        -   Color.—RHS 53B (reddish).        -   Size.—Length: 6.0 cm to 6.5 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm (at the            flower end).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: 5 fused. Stamen color (upper surface            color): RHS 46B (red). Anthers: Fused, hooded. Pollen color:            RHS 8D (whitish-yellow).        -   Pistils.—Style and stigma: 5, very short, RHS 150D            (pale-yellow). Ovary: 5-celled. Ovary length: 0.5 cm. Ovary            color: RHS 143A (surface green).-   Fruit and seed set: No seed set observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: No particular resistance or    susceptibility has been observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL AND COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Fisnics Purdeep’ differs from the female parent ‘K02-1080-1’(unpatented) by having deep purple flowers and deep green foliage while‘K02-1080-1’ has red-purple flowers and medium green foliage.

‘Fisnics Purdeep’ differs from the male parent ‘K02-9604-2’(unpatented), by having deep purple flowers and narrower leaves, while‘K02-9604-2’ has a deep cherry-red flower color.

‘Fisnics Purdeep’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Fisimp 284’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,694) by having larger flowers, and longer andsomewhat deeper green leaves than ‘Fisimp 284’.

‘Fisnics Purdeep’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Fisnics Purpink’(U.S. Plant Patent applied for) by having a darker and more bluishflower color, with smaller flowers, and a more compact plant habit than‘Fisnics Purpink’.

‘Fisnics Purdeep’ differs from cultivar ‘Fisupnic Purdeep’ (U.S. PlantPatent applied for) by having larger flatter flowers, somewhat largerleaves and a more compact plant habit than ‘Fisupnic Purdeep’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant as shownand described herein.